Six Indy Chapter SDCers and four Studebakers were invited to serve as an on-site "Field Trip" for the members of Mr. John Pratt's Indiana History Class today (Thursday, November 10) at Decatur North High School in southeast Indiana. (Decatur North is in Greensburg IN, about halfway between Indianapolis and Cincinnati OH along I-74.)
The adventure began when Mr. Pratt, center, tasked class members with generating a specific item about Indiana History and "reporting" it to the class. Student Dalton Hartley, left, went Mr. Pratt one better and single-handedly brought about 14,000 pounds of Indiana history to the school in the form of four Studebaker vehicles! Yours truly to the right:
Dalton's interest in all things Indiana led him to the internet to see about Indiana-built Studebakers. He ultimately located and contacted former SDC Indy Chapter President Chuck Kern and asked about having a presentation at the school. Chuck made some phone calls and set everything up with Dalton, much to Mr. Pratt's glee.
SDCers Chuck Kern, Richard Poe, Marvin Snider, and Yours Truly met Greensburg SDCers Chris Harping and his father Roland in the parking lot of Decatur North High School at the appointed hour when the class convened and could empty into the parking lot to view the Studebakers: Marvin Snider's 1955 President Coupe, the Harping's 1963 Hawk, and Chuck's Champ stake bed and Pure Stock victor Avanti; Richard driving the Avanti over for Chuck while I rode along with Marvin.
The class emptied and the students had a dandy time looking over the Studebakers, asking questions, and being told about them:
Richard Poe explains the finer points of the Studebaker V8 engine to several students. (I'll be doggoned: The one student has a Purdue sweatshirt; imagine the coincidence of my selecting that picture from among those taken!)
The class period was only 50 minutes long, so Richard barely got started extolling the virtues of The Studebaker V8:
Marvin Snider's '55 President Regal Coupe was well-received:
Richard Poe describes the Avanti's aerodynamics to an attentive audience:
Chuck Kern's description of the standard "loud muffler" Avanti exhaust system preceded his firing up the car and blasting away to the amazement of all, having first seen the supercharger:
Chuck Kern brought probably 50 or 60 recent copies of Turning Wheels and The AOAI Magazine and handed them out. Each student in the class got at least two magazines to keep, and extras were left with Mr. Pratt:
It was a chilly, breezy day on the Indiana plains, so we retreated indoors to the classroom for Questions and Answers and general Studebaker discussion before everyone froze. (Mr. Pratt's Indiana History class is an elective open to all four classes at Decatur North, so everyone in the class has an interest in being there and Freshmen through Seniors were represented.)
We got to talking about The Studebaker National Museum and I was reminded of how time flies when I thought I'd relate to the kids by mentioning that The Muppet Movie car was displayed at the museum. The kids were polite and courteous enough, but not one of them was familiar with The Muppet Movie! Geeze; how time flies; has it been that long since the movie was popular? None of us are getting any younger, for sure.
Overall, it was a super day and garnered much good exposure for Studebaker and The Studebaker Drivers Club. (Thanks for your enterprising attitude, Dalton; much appreciated!) BP
The adventure began when Mr. Pratt, center, tasked class members with generating a specific item about Indiana History and "reporting" it to the class. Student Dalton Hartley, left, went Mr. Pratt one better and single-handedly brought about 14,000 pounds of Indiana history to the school in the form of four Studebaker vehicles! Yours truly to the right:
Dalton's interest in all things Indiana led him to the internet to see about Indiana-built Studebakers. He ultimately located and contacted former SDC Indy Chapter President Chuck Kern and asked about having a presentation at the school. Chuck made some phone calls and set everything up with Dalton, much to Mr. Pratt's glee.
SDCers Chuck Kern, Richard Poe, Marvin Snider, and Yours Truly met Greensburg SDCers Chris Harping and his father Roland in the parking lot of Decatur North High School at the appointed hour when the class convened and could empty into the parking lot to view the Studebakers: Marvin Snider's 1955 President Coupe, the Harping's 1963 Hawk, and Chuck's Champ stake bed and Pure Stock victor Avanti; Richard driving the Avanti over for Chuck while I rode along with Marvin.
The class emptied and the students had a dandy time looking over the Studebakers, asking questions, and being told about them:
Richard Poe explains the finer points of the Studebaker V8 engine to several students. (I'll be doggoned: The one student has a Purdue sweatshirt; imagine the coincidence of my selecting that picture from among those taken!)
The class period was only 50 minutes long, so Richard barely got started extolling the virtues of The Studebaker V8:
Marvin Snider's '55 President Regal Coupe was well-received:
Richard Poe describes the Avanti's aerodynamics to an attentive audience:
Chuck Kern's description of the standard "loud muffler" Avanti exhaust system preceded his firing up the car and blasting away to the amazement of all, having first seen the supercharger:
Chuck Kern brought probably 50 or 60 recent copies of Turning Wheels and The AOAI Magazine and handed them out. Each student in the class got at least two magazines to keep, and extras were left with Mr. Pratt:
It was a chilly, breezy day on the Indiana plains, so we retreated indoors to the classroom for Questions and Answers and general Studebaker discussion before everyone froze. (Mr. Pratt's Indiana History class is an elective open to all four classes at Decatur North, so everyone in the class has an interest in being there and Freshmen through Seniors were represented.)
We got to talking about The Studebaker National Museum and I was reminded of how time flies when I thought I'd relate to the kids by mentioning that The Muppet Movie car was displayed at the museum. The kids were polite and courteous enough, but not one of them was familiar with The Muppet Movie! Geeze; how time flies; has it been that long since the movie was popular? None of us are getting any younger, for sure.
Overall, it was a super day and garnered much good exposure for Studebaker and The Studebaker Drivers Club. (Thanks for your enterprising attitude, Dalton; much appreciated!) BP
We've got to quit saying, 
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